Sincere - grime star prepared to go commercial

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Seems like not only Tinchy Stryder, Kano and Dizzee going commercial... Sincere tried it back in May...Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertai...op-1677389.htmlStrictly business: the commercialisation of hip-hopUK hip-hop has always been underground and penniless. But this British rapper has his eyes on the big-time prize – and he’ll go commercial to get itBy Matilda Egere-CooperSaturday, 2 May 2009In the UK hip-hop scene, it’s not uncommon for commercial ambitions to be considered a felony. Unlike the glossy, |multi-million-selling industry established in the States, wholesome British rappers have sought to stay loyal to the original tenets of hip-hop. This often means living through vinyls on the underground scene, giving plenty of limelight to the DJ. It’s in this disregard for the temptations of 21st-century hip-hop music that the UK rappers find themselves bling-less – and quite possibly broke – all in the name of keeping it real. So when Londoner Sincere decided to lead a charge of pop-savvy DJs and producers, who go by the name of Kid Bass, and rap over a sample from electro-dance princess Moloko, he knew he was asking for trouble. “If you make a song that sounds electro or a certain way, it’s like you’re not allowed to do it,” the gangly 25-year-old says, getting comfortable in his north London studio. “I think the main thing is, people are scared. There’s so much rules in music, like you have to do this, you have to do that. And that’s kind of hurting music in a way.” There’s almost a heroic intention to Sincere’s new musical focus, as if hoping his own team of avengers – Justice Foolsworth, Godson and Short Circuit complete the Kid Bass line-up – can save UK hip-hop from the clutches of its redundancy before flying off into the sunset with a chart-topping single and hopefully a gaggle of scantily-clad Lois Lanes. The first single “Good Girls Love Rude Boys” is certainly pop-fresh, inspired by the same light-bulb moment that saw Dizzee Rascal go against the grime rules to dabble in commercial novelty and land himself a chart-topping single, “Dance Wiv’ Me”. But Sincere points out that the likes of Dizzee, Kano, Tinchy Stryder and other grime notables are only finding success by moving into hip-hop terrain, so it only makes sense for the hip-hop scene to get in on the act – especially as the grime boys have enjoyed the focused attention that’s eluded the UK hip-hop for years. “There’s such a thin line between what’s grime and what’s UK hip-hop at the moment. It’s kinda unfair that Kano is called grime but makes an album that’s predominately hip-hop. Same for Chipmunk; same for Wretch 32. They make grime music but there albums aren’t grime. It’s UK hip-hop.” Four years ago, Sincere (real name Dion Hamilton) achieved minor underground success with his debut single, “That’s Not Gangsta”, an electro club-banger. Despite having got his foot in the door with hip-hop stalwart Skinnyman, he only managing to enjoy the brief hype that used to come with anyone appearing on Channel U (now Channel AKA) – the digital outlet for urban artists not quite polished enough to make it onto the glossier MTV Base. But at least he tried to keep his reputation clean. His cousin, grime rapper Scorcher, has been to prison, as well as a number of his grimier affiliates back in the day. Sincere, on the other hand, was more concerned with business, after arthritis put a promising football career with Enfield Town on hold. He used to run an import/export clothing business with a friend, buying streetwear labels such as Rocawear and Akademiks from the US. “Obviously the pound was a lot stronger than the dollar, back then,” he jokes. Soon, he was nicknamed Young Branson after the famous Virgin boss “because he became something from nothing”, and was not long running selling stuff in market stalls, “like a modern day Del Boy”. Sincere has been noted as one of the hardest-working rappers on the scene and to his credit has a broad range of musical influences (from Jay-Z to Kings of Leon to Radiohead) so he admits he’s now angling to achieve a lot more than just one hit. “Honestly, UK hip-hop is not doing very well,” he says. “Now’s the time for myself and other artists to come up and rebuild the infrastructure of UK hip-hop.” It’s a bold ambition, and one which, on the basis of just a few singles, is adorably premature. An older generation of fans were fortunate to see the UK hip-hop scene flourish with the backing of independent hip-hop labels, such as Low Life, as well as the 21st-century new breed of rappers hoping to build on the foundation set by legends such as Rodney P’s London Posse and Demon Boyz, who made it okay to rap in British accents. But many of the labels have folded, existing precariously through websites such as ukhh.com and britishhiphop.co.uk. Hip-Hop Connection, the only British magazine dedicated to the scene, recently closed its print operation after 20 years. Successful UK Rappers like Mike Skinner – The Streets – did break into the mainstream, but even Skinner will agree he’s in his own bubble of musical creativity. The Rascal, on the other hand, is still yet to be claimed by the UK hip-hop scene, despite his outward success in the genre. “But sometimes commercialising it and making it a bit more pop just allows it to appeal to a wider audience,” says Sincere. “That’s personally one of the reasons why I’d feel more comfortable making commercial music. It wouldn’t be for any other reason than for more people to enjoy what I do.” The Kid Bass featuring Sincere album, titled It’s A love Ting is due out later this yea and the Kid Bass the production unit is working on tracks for Estelle, Chipmunk and Tinchy Stryder. Sincere also has plans to do a solo album. He’s watched how rappers have constructed their own empires in the US and doesn’t think it’s impossible over here. “People will be like, how dare I say I want to be a UK rapper and sell out the O2 Arena and go to America and be number one on the Billboard charts and do stuff like that! But if I can just do it and say I was just a kid from Finsbury Park who wanted to be a rapper – and people told me I couldn’t do it – that would be one of the best successes out of everything.” The single ‘Good Girls Love Rude Boys’ is out now on Relentless.How come I never heard of it?I think it's a tragedy...